The invention relates to a device and to a method for foaming a liquid foodstuff, in particular, milk.
For foaming a liquid foodstuff, devices are known in which steam and air are mixed in a foaming chamber, so that the liquid foodstuff is foamed and can be discharged via an outlet.
In particular, for coffeemakers it is known, for example, for the preparation of a cappuccino, to foam milk with such devices. Typically, the air and/or the milk is suctioned here utilizing the Venturi effect due to the steam flow.
For example, in EP 00 243 326 A2, a device for foaming milk is described in which a milk feed line, a steam feed line, and an air feed line are connected to a foaming chamber. Milk and air are suctioned by means of the Venturi effect due to the steam flow. The device has throttle valves that can be activated by hand for regulating the air flow and the milk flow.
Due to the great popularity of mixed coffee drinks, in particular, mixed coffee-milk drinks, devices for foaming liquid foodstuffs are finding wider and wider use. In particular, in the fine-dining industry there are high requirements on the quality of the foam that is produced. For example, milk foam for cappuccinos should feature a uniformly fine pore size and thus stability. Due to the different types of desired foam and the different starting materials, such as, for example, milk at different temperatures or fat content, as well as other liquid foodstuffs with different viscosity values, the production of the appropriate types of desired foam has proven to be difficult.